Despite not having the star power of other teams in the East, the Bucks boast one of the best defenses in the league, one of the best players on the planet, plenty of shooting and a coach that could lead them far into the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The NBA trade deadline changed the East as we knew it, sparking movement at the top and creating cause for review. With that in mind, Sports Illustrated re-previews the best franchises in the conference.

While Anthony Davis is far from the only player to ever demand a trade, the direct nature of his request and structure of the modern NBA combined to make it the first of its kind. No player has ever face more scrutiny for his desire to play elsewhere.

Former Pelicans GM Dell Demps tried to split the difference between rebuilding and contending and accomplished neither. After how the Anthony Davis trade situation unfolded, New Orleans had no choice but to let him go.

Podcasts

Charles Barkley unloaded on Anthony Davis and Rich Paul at All-Star Weekend: "Remember your agent works for you. You don't work for him. He handled that situation wrong, it's going to come back to bite him in the ass."

The Mavericks will add All-Star Kristaps Porzingis to a roster that already has one budding star in Luka Doncic. The Open Floor podcast talks the trade and why Dallas came out as huge winners over the Knicks.

Whether it’s the sensational play of Israeli guard Deni Avdija, Zion Williamson’s tour de force, or both, no-frills basketball gyms are more likely to pull in NBA personnel this weekend. Even during a three-day event full of pageantry, competitive basketball usually takes precedence.

Features

Slightly different cast, same story. After an uncharacteristic stretch of bad basketball and worse vibes, the defending champs started playing like the Warriors of old. Then they welcomed DeMarcus Cousins, giving the NBA's best offense yet another All-Star weapon.

Unlike many of his foreign-born predecessors, Mavericks rookie Luka Dončić arrived in the NBA with an extensive résumé. The league is finding out that the skills that allowed him to dominate overseas definitely translate to the NBA.

The deal was only one of many in his career, but former Nets GM Billy King still can't quite shake the trade he made to bring Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to Brooklyn. Nearly five years later, he still wears the decision like a scarlet letter.